View source for First Class (game show)

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image                =
| caption              = 
| alt_name             = 
| genre                = [[Game show]]
| creator              = 
| developer            = 
| writer               = 
| director             = 
| creative_director    = 
| presenter            = Louise Bachelor <small>(1984)</small><br>[[Debbie Greenwood]] <small>(1986–88)</small>
| starring             = 
| judges               = 
| voices               = 
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = "Platinum Part One: Airborne" by [[Mike Oldfield]]
| opentheme            = 
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = United Kingdom
| language             = English
| num_series           = 4
| num_episodes         = 66 <small>(inc. 3 specials)</small>
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = 
| producer             = 
| editor               = 
| location             = 
| cinematography       = 
| camera               = 
| runtime              = 30 minutes
| company              = 
| channel              = [[BBC Cymru Wales|BBC Wales]] <small>(1984)</small><br>[[BBC One|BBC1]] <small>(1986–88)</small>
| first_aired          = {{start date|df=y|1984|10|3}}
| last_aired           = {{end date|df=y|1988|8|21}}
| related              =  
}}

'''''First Class''''' is a British game show that originally aired as a regional programme for [[BBC Cymru Wales|BBC Wales]] from 3 October to 19 December 1984 with Louise Bachelor as host. It was then networked on [[BBC One|BBC1]]<ref name="Quiz Book">First Class Quiz Book by Donald W. Stewart, Philip Whitfield Aikman. {{ISBN|0-563-20664-0}}</ref> and recorded in the BBC's Scotland studios in Glasgow, with broadcasts from 8 January 1986 to 21 August 1988 with [[Debbie Greenwood]] as host. Series 1 was shown on Wednesdays, Series 2 & 3 on Wednesday & Thursday evenings, and series 4 was moved to Saturday evenings in 1988.

==Format==

The show was two teams of three students (each team representing a particular school) would take part in a multi-format quiz featuring questions on both general knowledge and popular culture, as well as innovative [[video game]] rounds. Rounds such as the "Spinning Gold Disc" made use of a simulated computer display similar to other game shows of the same era, such as [[Blockbusters (British game show)|''Blockbusters'']] and ''[[Catchphrase (British game show)|Catchphrase]]''. Other rounds such as "Word of Mouth" used a real computer display from a [[BBC Micro]].<ref name="UKGameshows"/> This computer also provided the on-screen captions and scores and was nicknamed Eugene, after the show's original programmer Eugene Crozier.<ref name="Quiz Book" />

The competition was a [[knockout tournament]]; the eventual winners of the series would be presented with a computer (usually a [[BBC Master]]) for their school. Celebrity episodes of the show were also aired, featuring cast members from ''[[Grange Hill]]'' and ''[[EastEnders]]''.<ref name="UKGameshows"/>

''First Class'' was notable for its use of video games;<ref>{{cite web |title=First Class |url=http://www.tvcream.co.uk/telly/tv-a-z/a-m/f-is-for/first-class/ |website=TV Cream |date=May 2009 |accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Weaver |first1=Iain |title=Weaver's Week 2012-08-12: First Class |url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Weaver%27s_Week_2012-08-12 |website=UK Gameshows.com |publisher=Labyrinth Games |accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref> such footage (of arcade games in particular) was a rarely seen on UK television at the time and the show aired several years before [[GamesMaster]]. The designated contestant from each team would earn points by beating the other player's score; rounds would be either turn-based and head-to-head depending on the game / event. The games were often referred to by their events as opposed to their titles, for example the "spring and vault" round or the "clay pigeon shooting".

The music used for the programme's titles was "Airborn" by [[Mike Oldfield]], from his 1979 album ''[[Platinum (Mike Oldfield album)|Platinum]]''.<ref name="UKGameshows">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/First_Class |title=First Class |publisher=UKGameshows |accessdate=30 June 2011}}</ref>

==Arcade games featured==
*[[Hyper Sports]] ([[skeet shooting]] and [[vaulting horse]] events)
*[[Paperboy (video game)|Paperboy]]
*[[720°]]

==Transmissions==
===Series===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Series !! Start date !! End date !! Episodes
|-
| '''1''' || 3 October 1984 || 19 December 1984 || 12
|-
| '''2''' || 8 January 1986<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b90ab3fe7f7349bb96282cb30f3a9306 |title=First Class – BBC One London – 8 January 1986 |date=8 January 1986 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || 5 March 1986<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bf062294ec754f5d90db98814071772b |title=First Class – BBC One London – 5 March 1986 |date=5 March 1986 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || 15
|-
| '''3''' || 7 January 1987<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9333a8d2fd864a6f86b9ef0106be44d0 |title=First Class – BBC One London – 7 January 1987 |date=7 January 1987 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || 25 February 1987<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b82b80a232e54ca595a5db4c36f29d6f |title=First Class – BBC One London – 25 February 1987 |date=25 February 1987 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || 15
|-
| '''4''' || 6 February 1988<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6e3c171842214c62a6fc9368a625f357 |title=First Class – BBC One London – 6 February 1988 |date=6 February 1988 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || 20 August 1988<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c12db9303e6b499d8f461e16be6e84d1 |title=First Class – BBC One London – 20 August 1988 |date=20 August 1988 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || 24
|}

===Specials===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Date !! Entitle
|-
| 6 March 1986<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a22bbc758b1d46a9b0e7fc2153e8fcb7 |title=Celebrity First Class – BBC One London – 6 March 1986 |date=6 March 1986 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || Celebrity Special
|-
| 26 February 1987<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2e22437446ab4497adc4b6f5fa6de685 |title=Celebrity First Class – BBC One London – 26 February 1987 |date=26 February 1987 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || Celebrity Special
|-
| 21 August 1988<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b5822ef2069945088a267049f5253225 |title=First Class – BBC One London – 21 August 1988 |date=21 August 1988 |publisher=[[BBC Genome Project]] |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> || Celebrity Special
|}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0221749|First Class}}
*{{UKGameshow|First_Class|First Class}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:1984 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1988 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s British television series]]
[[Category:BBC television game shows]]
[[Category:1980s British game shows]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Student quiz television series]]


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